Ghana to Face Dutch Club Cambuur in AFCON Warm-Up Match
The Ghanaian national team has secured its first official warm-up fixture ahead of the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), with a friendly match scheduled against Dutch side SC Cambuur. The match will take place on Wednesday in Seville, Spain, where both teams are currently holding winter training camps.
The announcement was made on Tuesday by the Ghana Football Association (GFA), ending days of speculation over the Black Stars’ preparation plans. Until now, Ghana had yet to confirm any friendly fixtures as part of its build-up to the tournament in Equatorial Guinea.
The match was reportedly arranged at the last minute by an intermediary agent, who took to social media to share his satisfaction at having finalised the deal.
The Black Stars arrived in Seville on Sunday, where they are conducting an intensive training camp under new head coach Avram Grant. A total of 26 players have been called up for the camp as Ghana looks to refine tactics, build cohesion, and assess player fitness ahead of the tournament’s kickoff on January 17.
This fixture against Cambuur—who currently compete in the Dutch Eredivisie—will serve as an important test for Ghana’s squad, which is undergoing a transitional phase with several emerging talents vying for key roles.
Drawn into Group C, widely regarded as the “Group of Death,” Ghana will face stiff competition from Algeria, South Africa, and Senegal. The friendly against Cambuur will offer Avram Grant his first opportunity to evaluate his side in a competitive setting since taking over the managerial role in December 2014.
The match is expected to provide clarity on squad selection, tactical shape, and player form, as Ghana intensifies preparations to reclaim the continental crown they last won in 1982.
